Box car



Sept. 16, 1958 C. C. LERICHE BOX CAR Filed July 6, 1953 INVEN TOR. CfiDR/C C. LERlCA/E A TTORIVEPS United rates Patent BOX CAR Cedric C. Leriche, Alameda, Calif.

Application July 6, 1953, Serial No. 366,230

Claims. (Cl. 105-404) This invention relates to the construction of a railroad box car, and more particularly, to a railroad box car of the type wherein there is an extra large door opening.

In a box car construction the sides are the principal load carrying members. In effect, the sides are girders, the top chord being composed of the side plate and the bottom chord consisting of the side sill angle and the side sill reinforcement below the door opening. For cars having wide doors, the side plates are also reinforced at the door openings.

Furthermore, in conventional construction the side sill reinforcement is secured to the ends of the cross members of the underframe and is part of the underframe. The flanges of the side sill angle and the side sill reinforcement are secured together by rivets, the floor rests on the horizontal leg of the side sill angle and of necessity the greater portion of the vertical leg of the side sill angle is coped or sheared off at the door opening. The door posts usually consist of rolled steel shapes riveted together and are secured to the side plate and side sill angles by gusset plates.

The weight of the lading on the car floor is transferred through the underframe to the sides of the car by the rivets securing the side sill reinforcement to the side sill angle. The unit stresses in the sides are greatest at the door opening reaching the maximum in the bottom chord at the junction of the bottom chord and the door posts in the coped portion of the side sill angle. The reduction in depth of the vertical leg of the side sill angle by coping in the door opening plus the fact that the unit stresses are greatest at this point create a potential cause for failure. This is evidenced by the fact that these failures usually originate in said coped portion and progress downward causing the underframe to separate and sag from the sides. Furthermore, since the side sill reinforcement is secured to the side sill angle with rivets subjected to tensional stress, these rivets tend to become loose permitting the side sill reinforcement to separate from the side sill angle also resulting in sagging of the underframe. The sagging of the underframe permits the door to become disengaged from the retaining bar at the top of the door opening and fall from the car. These failures of side sill reinforcements result in heavy maintenance costs and considerable hazard of critical injury to personnel.

One object of the present invention is to provide a 1 unitary door frame structure cooperating with suitably shaped door posts, side sill member, and side plate, to form a rigid box-like construction along the top and bottom edges of the door opening.

A further object of this invention is to provide a side sill comprising a rolled steel shape having a suitable configuration for cooperation with the other elements of the car construction to provide suficient strength across the door opening without need for further reinforcement.

Various other objects and advantages of the instant invention will become apparent in reading the following description thereof, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a fragmentary perspective view of a box car construction embodying the principles of my invention, and having certain parts broken away in order to reveal details of parts hidden therebehind.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective View of the door frame member removed from the organization shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the details of the vertical side posts taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of the side sill taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1 drawn to an enlarged scale.

A box car or automobile box car generally consists of an underframe, a side sill, upright vertical post members, a side plate construction along the top edge and supported by said vertical post members and a roof portion supported by said side plate, and side sheathing covering the skeleton frame set forth above.

in a box car constructed according to the instant invention, the underframe consists of a U-shaped channel member 1 forming a center sill, crossbearers 2 of hollow rectangular cross section attached to said center sill and extending laterally from either side thereof. Since the car is symmetrical with respect to its longitudinal center line only one side thereof will here be described.

Mounted in the outer ends of said crossbearers 2 in a an upright vertical portion 5, an inwardly disposed flange portion 6, a second upright portion 7 extending from the inner end of said inwardly directed flange 6 at approximately right angles thereto, and a second inwardly directed flange portion 3 extending inwardly from the upper portion of said second vertical portion '7. Connected to each of said side sills 3 intermediate said crossbearers are cross ties 9 supporting floor stringers 1b; the ends of said stringers being attached to the crossbearers 2. The upper surface of said upper flange 8 of the side sill, the upper edge of said floor stringers i0, and the upper portion of said center sill 1 should all be at approximately the same elevation so as to support transverse floor members ill.

Supported on the horizontal flange portion 6, and attached to the vertical portion 7 of the side sills, are

vertical posts 12, said posts being generally channel shaped and having flanges 13 extending laterally outwardly in either direction therefrom. Here it should be noted that the outer faces of the posts 12 should be approximately flush with the outer faces of the side sill 3. Secured over the sill 3 and the posts 12 by rivets l7 and 18 are side sheets 15.

Supported by, and fastened to, the upper end of the posts 12 are side plates 19. As best seen in Fig. 3, said side plates have a vertical flange portion 20, a slightly inclined section 21 extending inwardly from the upper end of said vertical portion M), a second vertical portion 22 extending upwardly from the inner end of the horizontal section 21 and a second generally horizontal portion 23 extending inwardly from the upper end of said second vertical portion 22. in short the side plates 19 can be considered as being of W configuration in cross-section.

Attached to the inner surface of the vertical portion 22 is a side plate reinforcing member 24, said member extending downwardly beyond the horizontal portion 21 of the side plate. The roof indicated at 25 rests upon the horizontal portion 23 of said side plate and is curved line of rivets 41.

A door frame generally indicated at 26 is composed of a single sheet of material having a door opening 27 formed therein and an inwardly turned flange portion 28, formed enemas.

integral with said door frame sheet 26' and completely encompassing the door frame opening. Formed integral with the upper and lower ends; of the door frame 26 and coplanar therewith are outwardly extending triangular. shaped extensions or gussets 29..

As best shown in.Fig..4, vertical doorposts 30-.consistingpf. inwardly facing channel shaped-members each having. a.flange..31. connected to the endofone. side. of said.

channel and extending at right angles thereto toward the openingof said door frame, are .fixed.to said door frame at.either. side at. the door openingby rivets 32. The outer edge of flange 31 abuts the inner edge of the inturned flange. 28 of the door frame. and is. welded thereto, ,whereby the .rigi,d box-like. construction is. providedoneither side ofsaid door opening,

The lower: edge ofthe door frame is. attached to. the vertical sideportion of saidside. sill, by rivets 33. Here it should be noted that the horizontal. portions of the. door frame flange 28 should be substantially coplanar with.

the .side sill flange 8 and welded to the outer. edge thereof so as. to form a rigid box-shaped beam extending along and reinforcing the lower edge of the door frame 26.

As best shown in Fig. 3, the upper portion of the door.

frame flange 28 is fastened by rivetsv 34 to the inside of the lowermost vertical portion 20 of the side plate 19. The inner edge of they inturned flange 28 is welded to the lower edge of the reinforcing side plate 24 thereby to form a. rigid box-like beam or girder along the door opening 28.

A door header 35 generally U-shaped inconstructionv is fastenedywith one leg of the U inserted between the verticalportion 20' of said side plate, and the door frame.

26 attached thereto, the other leg of said U-shaped.mem-. her. being. disposed outwardly of said car (Fig. 3). Co-

operating. with the door header 35, in guiding the top.

edge. of the door, is a Z-shaped door retaining bar 36, one. flange of which is attached by means of rivets 37 to the outer surface of the vertical portion 20 of said side. plate, the other flange of the retaining bar 36 extendingdownwardly outside of the outer portion of the U-shaped door header 35 to keep the car door in place. The lower portion of the door opening 28 is provided with-a threshold consisting of an inverted, generally U-shaped, channel member 38 supported on its, inner leg by, and attached to, the flange 28 of said door frame adjacentthe inner edge thereof, the outer portion ofsaid thresholdbeing supportedby an L-shapedbracket39 secured. to the door frame by rivets 40. The web of the channel member 38 should be on a level with the floormembers 11.

Eromthe foregoing description it can be. seen that .I

have provided a car construction whereintheside sill is a.

unitary piece devoid of coped orcut-out portions, par.ticue larly at the door opening where the highest unit stresses.

are imposed, and wherein the unitary bottom chord is directly and positively secured to the transverse underframe members. This structure providesv additional strength to boththe underframe and the side structure by substituting a single and unbroken connection of the. two in contradistinction to the structure formerly used.

wherein the bottom chord was composed of two or. more members rivetedtogether. and whereinone ofsaid members was partially cut away or coped at thedoor: opening, and-hence subject to failure.

Itcan be further seen that by using adoorframe con.- structed-in. the particular manner set forth herein I have attained a better distribution of stresses, eliminated: the principalsource of weakness andfailure andv provided. a

stronger and more rigid box-like structure along the. top,;

bottom and side. edges. of. the door opening,; than thecon: strnction. formerly used around the door opening.

While. I.have shown and described one specifimform.

of my invention, the invention is not to be; construed asclimited to the specific: embodiments set forth but, however, islimitedonly asset forthin.the claimsappended hereto.

turned portion, and a second lateral portion extending from the upper end of said secondvertical portion, said first vertical portion adapted to be attached to the side members of the carand said second lateral portion adapted to be attached. to the roof of the car; a side plate reinforcing member attached to said second vertical portion of said sideplateandextendingbelow said first lateral portion of said side plate; and a door frame comprising a unitary sheet of material having a door opening therein and formed with an inturned flange around the periphery of said door opening, said. door frame-being attached to the first vertical portion of. said side plate, the edge of the inturned flange on said door frame and the lower edge of said side plate reinforcing member abutting. each other. at'right angles and being welded together, whereby a rigid box construction is provided along the top edgeof the door opening comprisingv the first vertical portion of said side plate. and the door frame, theiirst horizontal portion, of, said side plate, the side plate. rein-v forcing member and the inturned flange of the doorframe.

2. An underframe, side sill and door frame structure for. box cars comprising av center sill; a crossbearer of boxshape-attached to said center sill; an inwardly facing sidesill channel including upper and lower flanges and a vertical. web providedintermediate said flanges with an inwardly extendingoflset forming an. external angle and aninternal angle, the outer end of said crossbearer being snugly accommodated within the offset confines of said inwardly facing sill channel and rigidly attached thereto;

a door frame, plate defining a door opening and. provided with an inwardly extending flange, the lower edge of said comprising: an inverted center sill channel; crossbearersofrectangular. box shape attached to said center sill;

a side sill. attached to one of the outer ends of said cross bearers, .said side. sill being generally channel shaped to.receive-one of. the ends of said crossbearers, the upper flange of said channel being extended vertically at right angles to said upper flange approximately the same distance as-said flange width and then inwardly at right angles to said. vertical portion approximately the same distance. as said flange width; longitudinally extendingv members supported by said crossbearers between said center. sill and said sidesillyfloor boards extending crosswisewith, relation to said members and resting on said members; a sheet metal door frame supported on said side sill and having an inturned flange fastened to the side sill at. the juncture between the vertical and horizontal sections of the upper flange extension of said side sill whereby a box-like construction is formed by said door frame, the inturned flange of said door frame, the vertical portion of the upper flange extension of said side sill, and the upperhorizontal flange of said side sill; and a threshold including an inverted channel shaped member mounted on said inturned flange and abutting the ends of said floor boards, said'last mentioned channel being of the same depth as the thickness of said floor boards.

41. A. boxcar door frame comprising: a generally recopposed. vertical side edges, each of said horizontal edges being: provided with an inwardly extending flange; a.

column along each of its vertical edges backing said frame, each of said columns including a pair of oppositely facing channels formed on a common intermediate flange and each of said columns including an outer flange and a connecting web, one of said channels being directed towards said frame with its outer flange merging with the adjacent edge of said frame and the other channel being directed away from said frame with its web overlying and secured to said frame.

5. A box car comprising: an inwardly facing side sill channel having an inwardly offset upper corner defining a iedge; a generally rectangular sheet of metal formed With a rectangular door opening bounded by horizontal top and bottom edges and opposed vertical side edges, each of said horizontal edges being provided with an inwardly extending flange and a column backing said frame along each of its vertical edges, each of said columns including a pair of oppositely facing channels formed on a common intermediate flange and each of said columns including an outer flange and a connecting web, one of said channels being directed towards said frame with its outer flange merging with the adjacent edge of said frame, the other channel being directed away from said frame with its web overlying and secured to said frame, the lower ends of said columns being supported in said side sill ledge and attached thereto and the said bottom edge flange of said sheet being disposed over said ledge with the adjacent portion of said sheet overlapping said side sill and attached thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,074,793 Howard Oct. 7, 1913 1,079,652 Knox Nov. 25, 1913 1,104,903 Keithley July 28, 1914 1,146,859 Fowler July 20, 1915 1,740,053 Wehr Dec. 17, 1929 1,881,797 Martin Oct. 11, 1932 1,901,624 Baum Mar. 14, 1933 2,183,054 Tesseyman et al. Dec. 12, 1939 2,216,012 Jacob Sept. 24, 1940 2,223,667 Mussey Dec. 3, 1940 2,279,005 McMahan Apr. 7, 1942 2,366,709 Dean Jan. 9', 1945 2,385,062 Ditchfield Sept. 18, 1945 2,460,982 Gilpin Feb. 8, 1949 2,504,656 Dean Apr. 18, 1950 2,504,657 Dean Apr. 18, 1950 2,509,995 Swann May 30, 1950 2,592,545 Dean Apr. 15, 1952 2,620,751 Watter Dec. 9, 1952 

